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Perth high school offering AFL as a subject for girls

Perth high school offering AFL as a subject for girls

The introduction of the AFL women's competition starting early next year is already having an impact in our schools. Mater Dei College is offering the unique chance for year nine and ten girls to choose AFL as a subject. Vision: Ten Eyewitness News Perth

Some cyclists were allegedly stopped in their tracks by nails on the course. Photo: Twitter / @uci_gfws

St John Ambulance confirmed no cyclist was hospitalised.

Anger surrounded the event as closures of major roads including parts of the Mitchell Freeway and Reid, Tonkin, Great Northern, Great Eastern and Roe Highways caused traffic chaos.

Talkback radio reverberated with stories of people being late to weddings and missing planes.

Some said there were no signs on freeway entries advising of closures, while others said signs from Friday closures were left up for Sunday, creating more confusion.

Mr Hobart said he hoped organisers would not change the course as a result of the issues, as so many people had flown over specifically to try out the course ahead of the September trials.

"People flew in from all over the world for this," he said.

"You couldn't get a hotel room in Perth.

"I hear all the frustration and I really empathise but I also want people to know what a wonderful event those guys ran and the World Series will really showcase the state."

Organisers were contacted for comment.

Main Roads WA said freeway Vehicle Message Signs were used to advise motorists during the event and the lead-up to it.

"Some delays were observed for traffic exiting at Warwick Road and we modified the traffic signal operation at the Warwick Road interchange to assist and provide more green time for those exiting the freeway.

She said organisers contracted a traffic management company to deploy other portable message signs, but it appeared not all were switched off after the event.

She said Main Roads coordinated events happening under its own jurisdiction but local governments were not compelled to inform Main Roads of local events happening simultaneously.

"The UCI Gran Fondo World Series Perth 2016 Qualifier was a complex event that impacted 140km of key metropolitan roads. Main Roads developed a Communications Plan that supported communications by the Union Cycling Internationale, the event owner, and CIC Events Management, the event organiser, to communicate road closure information to the public," she said.

Main Roads used the following methods to communicate with the public: radio traffic broadcasts, social media, and electronic road signage. The event organiser provided radio advertising and newspaper advertising."